Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manual mixer for use during surgery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a manual mixer for mixing and agitating materials including liquids, pastes, and solids added thereto. More specifically, the present invention relates to a manual mixer for mixing and agitating materials through rotational and axial movement of portions of a mixing assembly actuated by a crank assembly, and for dispensing the materials through a valve assembly via further actuation of the crank assembly.
Description of the Prior Art
Typically, materials such as liquids, pastes, and/or solids used during surgery must be prepared prior to their use. For example, many bone cements require mixing and agitation to prepare the cements for use in patients. Oftentimes, the active ingredients need to be activated via mixing/agitation of the materials during surgery. Otherwise, the bone cement, for example, could harden before it is needed during surgery. Therefore, there is a need for a mixer that allows for easy mixing and agitation of materials during surgery so that the active ingredients can be activated. Such a mixer should be easy to manually operate, and provide at least two mechanisms by which the materials can be mixed and agitated. Such a manual mixer should also afford easy dispensing therefrom so that the materials mixed and agitated thereby can be easily accessed for use during surgery.